


Fly

by jencsi



Category: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-12
Updated: 2020-09-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:00:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26425282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jencsi/pseuds/jencsi
Summary: Miracles happen once in a while
Kudos: 1





	Fly

June 2023 

“Aunt Julie!” Finn hears the exasperated cry from Emily in her bedroom.

Finn abandons her spot on the living room couch, straightening her dress as she walks, high heels clicking on the hardwood floor of her condo, curly hair bouncing as she moves. 

“Whats up kiddo?” Finn asks, leaning in the doorway of Emily’s room. 

“I can’t make the cap stay on,” Emily complains from where she stands, in front of the floor length mirror attached to her closet door. 

The black graduation gown covers the floral dress she chose for the ceremony today. Her long brown hair has been curled yet still falls to the middle of her back. In her hand she clutches a black cap with a tassel attached, a small clutch purse rests on the desk. Finn takes in this moment, despite Emily’s distress, she cannot help but smile. 

“It’s going to ruin my hair,” Emily complains which is valid as today is special and she wants to look perfect. 

“Here,” Finn finally snaps out of her trance, entering the room completely and reaching for the cap “I’ll show you the trick my mom used for my cap.”

Finn reached over to retrieve a few bobby pins from a tiny ceramic jar Emily kept on her desk. She gently nestled the cap on her head before securing it with the pins. 

“And when it’s time to toss, just use the pins for your hair,” Finn concluded her technique. 

“Thanks,” Emily sighed in relief “I never would have thought of that, can’t believe I’m college material can you?”

“Stop it,” Finn nudged her “you are going to be great, today, come fall when school starts, and wherever you end up.”

Emily turns to look at Finn and asks “Are you mad I decided to stay here for school?”

“Absolutely not,” Finn assures her “you save money this way, and you don’t have to live in those crowded dorms and we can still have movie nights and eat all the pizza we want.”

Emily smiles, not sure if her non traditional education path stems from her disturbed childhood and her attachment to Aunt Julie all these years, fortunately her psychology major will be a big help in deciphering that. 

Finn considers herself incredibly lucky that she won’t have to lose Emily just yet. She was over the moon thrilled to learn she wanted to stay local for school and continue to live here in the condo she called home for the last ten years. Though small, the pair managed to make do with their living arrangements, creating this space for Emily, an original guest bedroom now the source of her best memories; from photos of her friends and Finn on the wall, to books and movies, her backpack, and still an entire trunk full of most of the same stuffed animals she had as a child, ones she could not part with, mostly because her biological parents had purchased them for her and it was the last memories she had of them. Perhaps the most stand out part of this room, was the bulletin board full of photos of Emily with Katie, Maya, Barbara and D.B Russell, Nick, Greg, Sara and the entire team of investigators she came to accept as family. It was a dream life Finn never imagined but now had and a choice she did not regret making all those years ago. 

“Pizza sounds great,” Emily bumps Finn back to reality “can we have that for dinner after the ceremony?”

“Of course,” Finn says “what are they serving at the party tonight?”

“I don’t know yet,” Emily says, glancing at the ticket for the all night senior class party where the students get locked in at the recreation center to play games, have food, and win prizes. 

“And the gang has their tickets right?” Emily asks now of Finn’s colleagues. 

“Yep,” Finn says. 

“I can’t believe you scored five more tickets,” Emily marveled of Finn’s bargaining skills. 

“Yeah well, being in law enforcement has its perks,” Finn says, shrugging her shoulder. 

“You flirted with someone at the office didn’t you?” Emily asked but knew her aunt all too well and based on the awkward silence that followed, she was right. 

“We should get going,” Finn ended this conversation, cheeks flushing red “do you have everything else?” 

“Yes ma’am,” Emily said, snatching up her clutch bag which carried her cell phone as well as her varsity softball chords and honor roll chords laced around her neck, adding some color to her drab gown. 

She made one final check of herself in the mirror before turning back to Finn. 

“You’re gonna hear me say this alot,” Finn said brushing at Emily’s long hair “but I am so proud of you and how far you’ve come.”

“You got me here,” Emily said “if it wasn’t for you, I would have ended up in foster care or probably someplace much worse.”

“We can’t know that,” Finn reminded her “a lot of kids do find good homes, but when I looked in your eyes that whole first week you stayed with me, I knew I couldn’t let you go.” 

She felt tears sting at her eyes now, but she didn’t want to cry until later when it was the right time. She stifled them and guided Emily out of the room and the condo, stealing one last glance back at the empty space she managed to raise this child in by some miracle, her last time driving her to the school for anything overwhelming her. 

2:30 am

“Hey party animal,” Finn greeted Emily having waited up for her to return from her senior class party “how was it?”

“It was awesome!” Emily gushed, flopping down on her bed “we had giant sub sandwiches and these fruity slush drinks, a chocolate fountain, there were bouncy houses and an obstacle course, a tennis court, you should have seen it, I beat everyone who went up against me.”

“Nice,” Finn praised her skills. “did you use that swing I taught you?” 

“Oh yeah,” Emily said, “it was great, even the coaches were shocked, they wondered why I never tried out for the team.”

“Softball is great too,” Finn reminded her of her choice to play for the last four years. 

She watched Emily slip out of her converse shoes and start undoing the pins in her hair. 

“I’ll take a shower tomorrow,” Emily declared “I’m beat.”

“Oh before you go to bed,” Finn stopped her “I have something for you.” 

She practically skipped out of the room to retrieve whatever it was. Emily got settled under the covers to wait for her, patting the space beside her when Finn returned. Finn nestled in beside her without a second though, clutching a blue envelope. 

“Here,” she offered it to Emily, “this is an early graduation present.” 

“What?” Emily asked, shocked “no way, you didn’t have to do that.”

“Too bad,” Finn teased, bumping her forehead against Emily’s “now open it.” 

She wiggled beside her, anxious and excited to see her reaction. Emily peeled open the envelope carefully and discovered a sweet card and two plane tickets to Seattle inside. 

“No way!” she gasped “I love Seattle! I was hoping to go again before school, thank you!” 

“Check it out,” Finn said “I booked the trip for August ninth through the thirteenth so we can celebrate your eighteenth birthday there, how's that?” 

“That’s awesome!” Emily gushed “you’re the best!” 

“And we got the suite hotel room this time,” Finn continued “there’s a beautiful view, room service, a spa, we can go see a Mariners game, maybe sneak a peek at a Seahawks practice, just the two of us, one last hurrah before you have school.”

Finn smiled, hoping this was all okay with Emily. 

“It’s perfect,” Emily said “I can’t wait to tell my friends tomorrow.” 

She clutched the card and the tickets to her chest, sighing, reeling with how incredibly lucky she was right now. 

“Well I’ll let you rest,” Finn said, beginning to slip out of the bed. 

“Don’t go,” Emily begged, reaching out for her, fingers grazing her arm, piercing her with that same look she had since she was seven, wanting to be close to her still and hopefully forever, Finn wished. 

Finn felt an ache in her chest as she settled back in bed with her, savoring this moment, grateful for Emily having turned out so well adjusted and happy considering her childhood trauma. 

“I love you Aunt Julie,” was her final sentiment before drifting off to sleep. 

“Love you too slugger,” Finn gave her the nickname when she first started playing softball at eleven years old. 

Prior to adopting Emily, Finn didn’t believe much in miracles or fate or good fortune, but here she was, heart filled to bursting with love, surrounded by love, so incredibly lucky and blessed by the miracle of this wonderful child, now beautiful woman who was going to take on the world and Finn couldn’t wait to see where she landed next.


End file.
